AU Plans 8,000-Troop Surge for Somalia Mission to Counter Al-Shabaab Gains

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The number of troops participating in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is set to increase following a request by Troops Contributing Countries after a meeting involving defence and foreign ministers.

The team maintains that Somalia is struggling to effectively handle the security situation in the country, following significant gains made by the militants, who still control large swathes of rural central and southern regions within the country.

The meeting was held in Kampala and brought together ministers from Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, and Somalia, with Egypt also making a special appearance. Cairo is contributing troops to Mogadishu for the very first time.

Jacob Oboth, Uganda’s minister of defense and veteran affairs, emphasized the need to counter the growing threat posed by al-Shabaab and reinforce ongoing stabilization efforts in Somalia.

Initial proposal capped the number of troops at 11,900, but the first would increase should the request by the ministers get approved. The team wants the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to have an additional 8,000 soldiers.

Interestingly, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Somalia’s minister for Foreign Affairs, backed the anticipated recruitment, noting that the country would easily reclaim some of the areas taken by Al-Shabaab should the AU approve more soldiers.

In May 2019, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution authorizing a troop reduction, as the Somali forces take over the security of their country. Uganda reduced its forces while Burundi pulled its troops out of the troubled country.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the AU Commission, highlighted the need for sustained political and financial support for AU operations in Somalia. Youssouf said UN Security Council Resolution 2719 calls for predictable and sustainable funding for African-led peace operations, noting that global peace is a shared responsibility.

Somalia has been fighting the al-Shabaab militants for the last two decades, but the group made significant gains after taking over Adan Yabaal, a strategic town within the Middle Shabelle region in Somalia. The country, however, is optimistic about winning the war.

GAROWE ONLINE